COMPANIES

PEOPLE

Applying simple and practical energy-saving techniques, staff at the Grevena hospital managed to cut its spending on electricity, water and heating by 850,000 euros in the four years between 2012 and 2016, making it a contender for the worldwide 'Energy Globe 2017' awards.

The hospital cut water consumption by 70 pct, heating costs by 50 pct and electricity consumption by 35 pct over the four-year period, receiving the 'Energy Globe Greece 2017' national prize from Austrian Ambassador Andrea Ikic-Boehm and the health ministry.

The Grevena hospital project is also among 2,000 projects nominated around the world for the international 'Energy Globe 2017', which is to be awarded on January 16, 2018 in Tehran.

According to the chief of the hospital's technical staff, the savings were achieved without disrupting the running of the hospital in any way, applying simple energy-saving practices that anyone could follow at home.

The biggest problems, he added, were the habits and inflexibility of staff at all levels, who were used to doing things a certain way.